Kazakhstan reinforces budget to combat religious extremism

According to the 2012 – 2014 draft budget presentation at the Majilis (lower chamber) September, Kazakhstan plans to allocate $87.7 million to combat religious extremism in 2012, Novosti Kazakhstan reports.

According to the presentation, a total of $168.7 million will be allocated to the Interior Ministry to ensure national safety, with $87.7 million to combat religious extremism.

Additional funds will be also allocated for the Presidential Protective Division.

At the joint sitting of the two Parliament chambers September 1 President Nursultan Nazarbayev urged the Parliament to adopt a legislation to fence itself off religious extremism.

“During the current session the Parliament is to consider draft legislation regulating operations of religious institutions. The point here is not to eliminate freedom of belief, but to fence the nation off religious extremism. This is something done by all states, much more so by those professing Islam as the state religion”, the President said.